Today is National Pie Day! And to celebrate I’m giving away a signed copy of Michele Stuart’s “Perfect Pies and More” to one lucky reader. (See below for entry options and rules.) Pies are one of my absolute favorite desserts even though I don’t post them very often. I guess I’m just afraid of taking the photos, they’re a little more messy than a cupcake 🙂
But first of all, Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I asked Michele how to incorporate a love for pies into this day of love…
“As far as pies for love, we do that for Valentine’s Day at our shop.
The chocolate raspberry delight from the first book and the white chocolate raspberry swirl from the second book are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Also in the second book is a pie crust cut out cookie, which you can make heart shaped with a raspberry almond cream cheese filling.
Otherwise, anything chocolate always goes well for Valentine’s Day! Chocolate pecan bourbon, chocolate cream, or chocolate peanut butter dream are some great options!” -Michele Stuart
Michele Stuart’s Tips:
- Pie Weights Are Your Friend: Pie weights are used when prebaking a pie crust for a cream pie or any pie that involves a precooked filling. Pie weights keep the piecrust in place and stop air bubbles from forming when making prebaked shells. I prefer to use ceramic balls because they have more weight to them. If you do not have them, you can makeshift pie weights by using dried beans. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a square shape and place it on top of the rolled out, crimped pie shell. Next, place the pie weights – distributing them evenly on top of the parchment paper.
- Ice Cold Ingredients: When preparing your pie dough, always make sure all of your ingredients are ice cold before starting. I like to keep my Crisco in the refrigerator before I begin to mix my dough. Also, I put ice cubes in the water that I use to mix my dough. Once my dough is mixed, I wrap it tight in saran wrap and keep it cold until I am ready to use!
- To achieve the perfect evenly baked crust, always keep your oven racks at midlevel in your oven. Place your pie in the center of the oven during the baking process so that the entire pie bakes through evenly (in other words, to ensure your crust and filling are finished baking at the same time and you don’t end up with a crispy crust and undercooked filling). Rotating your pies during baking will also ensure you have an evenly golden brown baked crust.
- One of the tricks that my grandmother taught me in the kitchen was to always brush the edges and top of my crust with heavy cream. This will give the baked crust a golden brown finish and even make the crust flakier than it already is! If you don’t have heavy cream in the house, you can also use milk or half and half.
- Lattice Crust: Making a lattice top is not as intimidating as it sounds! Roll out a 10-inch circle on your surface. With a pastry wheel, cut 1-inch thick pieces so that you have 5 pieces. Place the pieces horizontally on top of your filling. Then roll out another 10 inch circle. Cut again 1-inch thick pieces so that you have 5 pieces. Take one piece at a time and weave the pieces in and out of the horizontal pieces. Do this until the entire pie has been completed. Trim off the excess pieces and crimp lattice strips to the crust.
- Fruit Pies: When baking pies in the oven, particularly fruit pies, I always suggest placing a sheet of parchment paper down on your baking sheet. This will help for an easy clean up. I used to spend hours cleaning and soaking my baking sheet. Now it is as easy as one, two, three!
As always, you can call the Pie Hotline M-F 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
1-877-FOR PIE TIPS (877-367-7438)
Giveaway Entry Options:
1. Comment below telling me your favorite pie flavor!
2. “Pin” any of Your Cup of Cake’s Valentines Day Recipes (1 entry for every “Pin” up to 3 times) and comment below telling me what recipe you pinned!
IMPORTANT: Make sure you leave a separate comment on this blog post for each entry!
Open to continental USA residents over age 18. Winner will be chosen by random and will be contacted by email. Winner must respond within 48 hours to claim the giveaway. Giveaway closes Monday January 27th at 11:59 p.m. MST.
Peach is my favorite pie. I have made so many of your recipes and have never been disappointed.
Do you have a good recipe for peach pie. I have been looking for a great one.
I’m a chocolate and peanut butter pie lover!!
Coconut pie!
I pinned 1!
I pinned 2!
I pinned 3!
I love the basics – a good ol’ apple pie.
Some days lemon and some days sweet potato!
Pinned chocolate raspberry cupcakes.
Pinned pink confetti cupcakes.
Pinned red velvet cupcakes.
I definitely have to put my vote in for pecan pie.
StRaWbErRy RhUbArB Pies is awesomely tart, sweet, DELCIOUS
Strawberry/rhubarb is my favorite also!!! Just made one last week. I buy a lot of rhubarb when it is in season & freeze it. Then I can have it any tome of the year!
I always have birthday pie instead of cake!
my favorite pie is probably cherry pie.
pinned Oreo red velvet cupcakes!
pinned Chocolate Cake Batter Cupcakes.
pinned Butterfinger Rice Crispy Treats.
I pinned the giveaway http://www.pinterest.com/pin/225813368790008212/
My favorite pie is coconut or lemon/pecan – it’s a tie between the two –
Pumpkin pie! I can (and do) eat it any time of the year! Key Lime and Chocolate Cream are up there, too. I have such a giant sweet tooth it’s really hard to pick.
I pinned http://www.pinterest.com/pin/225813368790008247/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/225813368790008281/
I pinned http://www.pinterest.com/pin/225813368790008298/
I vote for Raspberry Key Lime Pie. I love the combination of the two.
I pinned for Red Velvet Rice Crispy Treat. Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes and Double Red Velvet Cupcakes. Yummmmmmmmmmmm!
Belinda, make each of your pins a separate comment and then each one will be an individual entry. This will give you 4 entries. Otherwise this will be just one entry. Good luck!
My absolute favorite pie is Key Lime Pie!
It’s a toss-up! My mother made wonderful pies and my favs were lemon meringue and cherry.
I pinned the Double Red Velvet Cupcakes!
I pinned Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes.
I pinned Easy Chocolate Cupcakes. YUM!!!
Southern Chocolate Pean
I pinned chocolate raspberry cupcakes
I pinned Reese’s peanut butter cupcakes
I pinned pink confetti cupcakes
Blueberry pie!
Raspberry is my favorite pie flavor, but apple will probably be my choice when raspberry is available.
Key Lime Pie is divine any time of the day
Favorite pie; that’s tough. Tie between triple berry and Carmel Apple.
My favorite pies are Banana Cream, Chocolate Cream, Coconut Cream, Lemon Meringue and Peach. All depends the mood I am in and who made the crust!
I love fruit pies, especially peach, strawberry, and blueberry. I look forward all year to when it’s time for those fruits to be in season again.
My most favorite of all is my grandma’s pumpkin chiffon pie…..it is to die for!!!!
Not too many pies I don’t love, but I think the all time “fave” is Apricot, warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oooh Lala!
My favorite is coconut, these recipes look so delicious!!!
I pinned 3 🙂
Favorite is good ole Apple pie
Banana blueberry bunt pinned
My favorite pie is pecan. & I also love custard .
.It was my sweet Mothers favorite pie & custard always makes me think of her. She has been in heaven since 1987. ♥
Pumpkin pie by far is my favorite
My favorite, at least one of them is a good coconut cream pie!
I pinned Almond Maraschino Cupcakes
Lemon meringue is my fave to make and eat! I pinned red velvet cupcakes!
I love pumpkin pie! I look forward to the holidays every year since that is when we eat it!
Pinned double red velvet cupcakes
I like a lot of different pies,but my favorite is any with chocolate. I once made a chocolate chip cookie pie that was absolutely amazing!
Peanut Butter Pie!
I pinned Red Velvet Rice Crispy Treats: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/84864774201983582/
My favorite pie is Chocolate Pie 🙂
I pinned the Double Red Velvet Cupcakes. Love your site Lizzy!
My favorite pie is Lemon Meringue!!!
Always love a good apple pie….just like mom’s!
Hard to pick a favorite! But I’ll go with a peanut butter or peach!
I love Derby Pie!
I pinned Almond Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes
I pinned Blueberry Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes
I pinned Fruity Pebbles Cupcakes
I pinned Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes
I love chocolate cream pie best, but I love all the others too.
Pinned the red velvet!
Pinned the red velvet rice krispies treats as well. Yum!
Pinned double red velvet. 🙂
Yum, cherry pie!
I love black cherry pie 🙂
My favorite pie is coconut cream – yum!
i love cherry pie!
I’m a northwest girl so my favorite pie has to be huckleberry!
I pinned Red Velvet Rice Crispy Treats 🙂
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/105975397455687975/
I also pinned Chocolate Cake Batter Cupcakes, those look so good!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/105975397455687983/
Gotta be Key Lime!!!! Perfect combo of sweet and tart!!
Mystery Pecan Pie! 😀 ♥
I would have to say my favorite is Apple Pie.
I PINNED 3!
I pinned the Reeses’ Cupcakes! Yummy!!!
I also pinned the Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes 🙂
I also pinned the “his and her cupcakes” – super cute ideas!
Lemon meringue. Oh Yea!!!!
French Silk Pie
I love all pies…especially pumpkin, pecan, apple, blueberry, cherry……..
Cherry is my favorite of all time….but I do love pumpkin, french silk, cheesecake, key lime….oh my the list goes on!!! LOL
my favorite pie is banana cream pie!
Love coconut cream!!
My favorite pie is Buttermilk
My favorite pie is chocolate pecan.
I re-pinned Red Velvet Puppy Chow
I re-pinned Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
I re-pinned Red Velvet Cupcakes
I love chocolate pies! All kinds of chocolate pies!
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes look so delicious!!
I re-pinned Peanut Butter Oreos too. Love chocolate and peanut butter!
I love every type of pie! But if I would have to choose, I would say pecan pie:)
My favorite is Key Lime Pie or my great grandmother’s Coconut Cream Pie. Old recipes are the best 🙂
I pinned Chocolate Raspberry cupcakes #1.
I pinned Strawberry Malt cupcakes #2.
I pinned Chocolate Cake Batter cupcakes #3.
Lemon is my absolute favorite pie!
Banana cream pie is my absolute favorite.
My favorite pie flavor is apple!
I love peach pie and raspberry.
I pinned Strawberry Pina Colada Cupcakes
Gotta love me some good old apple pie!
I pinned your double red velvet cupcakes (1).
I luv all flavors of pie…even the ones I haven’t tried yet (like rhubarb lol) this looks like a nice book…thx for the giveaway oppty!
I love peach pie!!
I pinned your Red Velvet Rice Crispie Treats
I pinned your Double Red Velvet Cupcakes
I pinned your Pink Confetti Cupcakes
I love good apple pie and fresh strawberry pie!
I’d have to go with the ‘classic’ apple pie. Definitley love anything with chocolate and strawberry
Repinned Double Red Velvet Cupcakes-I just love how you’ve incorporated the mix into the frosting, can’t wait too try, very clever
Repined the Oreo Red Velvet cupcakes, these look yummy and super creative
Repinned Red Velvet RKT, again, love how you incorporated the Red Velvet
Lemon Meringue!!!
coconut cream pie
It’s a tie between chocolate cream and banana cream!
My favorite pie is Banana Cream by far!
My fav is peanut butter or pecan.
I love pies but if I have to name just one I guess it would be sour cream lemon.
Peach pie!
I love French silk pie!
pecan pie
Honestly, I love most all pies! The only one I have a hard time with is rhubarb because I just can’t do that bitter tart taste even though Key Lime is a favorite as is Shaker Lemon. OH! My mom used to make the most delicious Buttermilk Pie so I will go with that one. 😉
Apple Pie!
PInned Double Red Velvet!
Pinned Oreo Red Velvet
Pinned Reese’s Penut Butter Cupcakes!
Banana Cream with shortbread crust!
Pinned pink confetti cupcakes.
Pinned red velvet cupcakes.
Pinned red velvet oreo cupcakes.
I love cherry pie.
I pinned the double red velvet cupcakes.
I love chocolate pie
I think apple pie is probably my favorite but haven’t found a good strawberry or mango one that will top the apple pie.
I pinned for Red Velvet Rice Crispy Treat.
I pinned for Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes.
I pinned for Double Red Velvet Cupcakes.
Anything with chocolate sooooo French Silk Pie!!
My favorite pie is pumpkin pie! ^^
Tollhouse pie – yummy!!
My favorite pie is German Chocolate Cream
My favorite is chocolate and peanut butter!
I pinned the double red velvet cupcakes
i pinned the red velvet rice krispie treats
i pinned the red velvet cookies with cream cheese filling
Chocolate Meringue. The Best.
Key Lime with a graham cracker crust.
I pinned your Double Red Velvet. perfect for Valentines Day.
I pinned Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes with Candy Cane Crunch
I pinned Almond Marashino Cherry Cupcakes. I think they are the prettiest ones for Valentines day.
Cherry pie!
Peach pie!
PEACH! My all time favorite pie
Sour cream apple pie is my favorite! It’s my great-grandmother’s recipe. Amazing!
pinned strawberry malt cupcakes
pinned red velvet cake batter cupcakes
pinned double red velvet cupcakes
Hands down, Coconut Cream Pie!!! But, if I’m offered any other type, I sure won’t turn it down. ;D
I love apple pie, but my boyfriend likes pumpkin; because of this we switch which pie we get each time we need one.
i love apple pie
I pinned your pink confetti cupcakes
Chocolate silk
Strawberry rhubarb and apple raspberry are my favorites!!
Hands down the classic apple pie is my favorite. Your Carmel Apple Pie recipe is one of my favorites!